D-cycloserine facilitates extinction of conditioned alcohol-seeking behaviour in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of partial NMDA receptor agonist d-cycloserine (DCS) on the extinction of conditioned alcohol-seeking behaviour.


METHODS
For this purpose, rats were administered with DCS 60 min before each successive extinction session. Resumption of alcohol responding was carried out 1 day after the final extinction session.


RESULTS
We demonstrate that treatment of rats with 5 mg/kg of DCS was capable in facilitating extinction of conditioned alcohol-seeking behaviour, which subsequently reduced the resumption of extinguished operant responding.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests a good rationale for the development of new add-on medications for exposure-based psychotherapy so as to extinguish drug-conditioned appetitive memories in alcohol-dependent patients.
Vengeliene
Valentina
V
Department of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany. valentina.vengeliene@zi-mannheim.de
Kiefer
Falk
F
Spanagel
Rainer
R
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003523:Cycloserine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D003523:Cycloserine